The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for heart condition, vision problems, orthostatic hypotension, and stroke due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The claims are pending further development.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the July 2015 VA opinion was based on an inaccurate factual premise and did not address whether the Veteran's heart condition is a congenital disease or defect, which requires more than an increase in severity during service to warrant a grant of service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Heart Condition, Vision Problems, Orthostatic Hypotension, Stroke
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 4, 2020
- Citation
- 20051770
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 20051770.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that remand is required for several issues, including service connection for stroke and memory loss, as well as an increased rating for PTSD. The AOJ must verify the Veteran's claimed in-service exposures, obtain all relevant treatment records, and provide a medical nexus opinion regarding the nature of his disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected orthostatic hypotension with dizziness is granted an initial 30 percent disability rating, which is the maximum available under DC 6204.
- Granted
The Veteran's orthostatic hypotension is rated at a 30 percent level, which is the maximum allowed under the rating criteria.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran does not require personal care services for a minimum of six continuous months due to his ability to perform activities of daily living independently and manage his health without assistance.
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